Capital punishment in the Southern Indian Ocean Islands
Capital punishment in the Southern Indian Ocean Islands refers to the existence of the in the Republic of the Southern Indian Ocean Islands for a variety of crimes. The death penalty can only be ordered and enacted by the federal government, with an explicit exception for the province of Île Amsterdam. All executions are carried out by firing squad since 1980; prior to that, executions were by guillotine. History Independence (1956 - 1960) The Southern Indian Ocean Islands adopted the death penalty from the after its independence, using the guillotine. Execution chambers were set up in the RPS Lorenchet Prison in and on Péninsule Lorenchet, and in the RPS Richard Foy Prison on Île aux Cochons. The guillotine in RPS Lorenchet was known as La grand-mère, the guillotine in RPS Richard Foy as La guillotine qui crie. Five people were executed between 1956 and 1960: Second Constitution (1960 - 1982) Capital punishment was officially enshrined in the Second Constitution of the Southern Indian Ocean Islands under Article 114 for a variety of heinous crimes including rape and murder. Île Amsterdam's independence on the matter of capital punishment was also constitutionally recognised under the same article, as well as under article 7-1(1)(a) of the Criminal Code. Article 7-3(1)(a) was changed in 1980, making the guillotine as an execution method obsolete and instating the instead. People who were sentenced to the guillotine before the change were given the choice between the guillotine and the firing squad. Fifteen people were executed between 1960 and 1982, two of which by firing squad: Third Constitution (1982 - 1985) Capital punishment was included in the Third Constitution of the Southern Indian Ocean Islands under Article 114, with the inclusion that the firing squad would be the sole legal method. One person was executed between 1982 and 1985: Fourth Consitution (1985 - now) The Fourth Constitution of the Southern Indian Ocean Islands also enshrined capital punishment, now under Article 115. The firing squad was again the only constitutionally legal option provided, with a notable exception for Île Amsterdam, who were allowed to use their traditional execution method of pushing the condemned off the Falaises d'Entrecasteaux. It also added exceptions for minors and for mentally unaccountable perpetrators of crimes, relegating those responsibilities to laws created by parliament. Between 1985 and 2015, 19 people were executed: There is currently one inmate on death row: Capital crimes The death penalty can be imposed on members of both genders above the age of 18 and who are proven to be sound of mind by a group of psychiatrists and psychologists. If an individual is below the age of 18, he or she will be tried according to the Juvenile Criminal Code; if the person is proven to be psychologically unaccountable for the crime(s) that he or she has committed, the death penalty will be changed into life-long instead. Federal Federal capital crimes and thus applicable to all provinces save Île Amsterdam are, in accordance with Article 114 of the Constitution of the Southern Indian Ocean Islands and articles 7-2(...)(...) of the Criminal Code: *murder *attempted premeditated murder *rape *human trafficking *coerce an individual into being trafficked for malicious purposes *possession of explicit and/or graphic child pornography *treason. Île Amsterdam Provincial capital crimes according to the Criminal Code of Île Amsterdam are: *murder *attempted premeditated murder *rape *sexual assault *inappropriate touching of a minor *human trafficking *coerce an individual into being trafficked for malicious purposes *treason. Conviction when a crime is committed abroad The Southern Indian Ocean Islands will sentence to death any of their own citizens when they have committed a crime deserving of capital punishment abroad, with the notable exception in the case that the country in which the crime was committed has outlawed capital punishment. In those cases, the death penalty is transferred into a life sentence. Popular opinion and controversy Several anti-capital punishment organisation, e.g., are attempting to outlaw capital punishment across the world, including the Southern Indian Ocean Islands. Their activities have however had little to no impact on the opinions of the people of the Southern Indian Ocean Islands, a majority of 96% of whom support itStatistics of the Republic; 2014.. Both right-leaning and left-leaning parties support capital punishment; the only party to be officially against it is the HuPa, which holds one seat in the Federal Assembly. Executions of foreign individuals has caused several diplomatic rows between various countries and the Southern Indian Ocean Islands, notably with the , the and . The Southern Indian Ocean Islands does not allow for foreign citizens to be extradited to another country if they are on death row in the Republic. See also *Capital punishment in Île Amsterdam References